The New Signs of Skin Cancer That You Need to Know About

Add these to the ABCDE symptom checklist

We hate to interrupt you under that beach umbrella, but we want to share some encouraging news about diagnosing skin cancer. A new study published inJAMA Dermatology found two new symptoms of the disease: pain and itching. Consider adding these to the already establish list of signs to watch out for.

Researchers studied 268 people diagnosed with one of the three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and the less common but more lethal melanoma. Subjects were asked to rank on a scale of one to ten the level of pain or itching of their lesion. Results showed that 37 percent of the cancerous lesions itched, while 28 percent were characterized by pain. Many of patients experienced both symptoms together: 46 percent of the lesions that hurt also itched, while 60 percent of the painful lesions left sufferers scratching.

Interestingly, though itching and/or pain characterized basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, both signs were significantly less associated with melanoma. In a way, that's kind of a bummer. With melanoma much more deadly, it would be helpful to have two more clues that can help doctors identify it at an earlier, curable stage. But still, with skin cancer the most common form of cancer overall and cases on the rise, the study results are definitely useful.

"Patients sometimes have multiple lesions that are suspicious looking, and those that are itchy or painful should raise high concerns for non-melanoma skin cancers," said study lead author Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Temple University School of Medicine, in a Temple news release.

The researchers hope the results will help dermatologists diagnose skin cancer. Yet there's takeaway for you too, which is to add itching and pain to the established list of skin cancer symptoms to keep a sharp eye out for. Forgotten the others? Just remember ABCDE, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolving. To put it more simply, you’re looking for moles or marks that are asymmetrical, have an irregular border, sport more than one color, are larger than a pencil eraser, and/or continually evolve but don’t go away. Anything that fits these parameters should be checked out by a derm ASAP. Here are five new ways to spot skin cancer.